Childrens Health - Treating childrens sickness and other ailments, can be tricky sometimes, especially, if the child is too young to explain,
anything much more than, "I've got an ow".

Nappy rash
Most babies will suffer with nappy rash at some point, and it is not, in
general, something for particular concern. The main thing is that it's sore for
your baby and so quick treatment is the order of the day. There are several
different types of nappy rash and therefore different causes too. Nappy rash can
most often be caused by something as simple as infrequent nappy changes; this is
because the mixture of urine and faeces produces ammonia, which has a high pH
value, and that makes the skin more vulnerable to damage. Also, certain foods
have a higher pH (e.g. tomato, orange, apples and apricots) and therefore can
make the problem worse, this can be a particular noticeable with, for example,
food intolerance (when the baby may have diarrhoea). On many occasions nappy rash
can be a symptom of teething or even just a common cold. It possible that sever
nappy rash may be caused by thrush, which should get medical attention.

Ideas to help reduce the occasions of nappy rash with suggestions of a cure:

It is possible that with more frequent nappy changing the problem of nappy rash
will be no longer. Even when disposable nappies do not feel wet, they may still
be holding a small amount of urine that is causing the irritation and also
stopping the skin's natural protection to take place.

It's recommended that a baby's skin regularly and thoroughly cleaned by gently
wiping its bottom with a clean, warm, wet cloth at every nappy change. Even if
they are only wet there will still be urine on the skin which could make baby
sore, particularly in the leg creases and under the genitals in boys. It reduce
the chances of vaginal infection, girls should be wiped from front to back,
(there is no need to clean inside the vagina as this is self-cleaning). Allow
the skin to dry before putting on a fresh nappy.

A simple, but very effective, treatment is to allow your baby as much time as
possible without his/her nappy on. The natural air flow on the skin will allow
the baby's skin to do its amazing healing job on its own.

It's worth taking a look at the baby's diet to see if anything that baby is
eating or drinking may be causing the problem. This can especially be the case
when weaning your baby, and therefore introducing new foods. It's suggested to
keep an eye on the balance of alkali and acid making foods and charting foods
that give an adverse reaction. The chart below may help in choosing that right
balance of foods:
Alkalizing foods (high PH)

Chicken Pox (Varicella zoster)
The chicken pox virus generally develops into a rash of spots which further
develops into thin-walled blisters filled with clear fluid (this liquid later
becomes cloudy). The blister wall breaks, leaving open sores, which then crust
over to become dry, brown scabs. Most commonly a few blisters are first spotted
on the trunk, the back, behind the ears and on the scalp, however, if the virus
appears over night, your may not have any clues when the child goes to bed, but
they may wake with blisters all over them.

Chickenpox blisters tend to come in batches, so after some of them begin to scab
over, a new bout of spots may appear. New chickenpox may stop appearing as early
as the third day, but usually by the seventh day. It normally takes 10 to14 days
for all the blisters to dry up and crust over and then you are no longer
contagious.
The illness often comes with common cold symptoms (runny nose, cough and general
unwell feeling), as well as the itching of the blisters as they dry and
scab-over. Most kids get chicken pox recover by just resting like you do with a
cold or flu. It is possible to have a chicken pox vaccine; however this may not
totally prevent getting chicken pox, but will probably make the illness less
severe and therefore recovery will quicker.

Remember that chickenpox is very contagious, and most kids with chicken pox will
pass it to a sibling. The sibling's symptoms will probably start to show about 2
weeks after the first child. To help in keeping the virus from spreading, try
and make sure that your children wash their hands frequently, particularly
before eating and after using the bathroom. People who haven't had chickenpox
also can catch it from someone with shingles, but they cannot catch shingles
itself.
Ways that you can help to relieve the discomfort, itching and fever of
chickenpox:
• Use cool wet compresses on the affected areas, and/or give the child a bath in
lukewarm water every 3 to 4 hours for the first few days. Oatmeal baths,
available at the supermarket or pharmacy, can help to relieve itching. (Baths do
not spread chickenpox.)
• Pat the body dry (don't rub).
• Put calamine lotion on the itchy areas (but not on the face, especially near
the eyes).
• Chickenpox in the mouth may make drinking or eating difficult, so prepare food
for your child that is cold, soft, and bland. Avoid food that is salty or acidic
(like some fruit juices or crisps). Ask your pharmacist about pain relief for
mouth blisters.
• Ask your pharmacist about pain-relieving creams to apply to blisters in the
genital area.
• Trim your child's nails to minimise damage if scratching the blisters, and
keep the nails as clean as possible to prevent the spread of infection.
• You may consider putting socks or mittens on your child's hand, especially at
night to reduce scratching.
It's very important to ask the doctor or pharmacist for information on pain
relief, as certain drugs should not be given in the case of chickenpox.
Most chickenpox infections don't require any special medical treatment. But
sometimes, there are problems, so call the doctor if your child:
• has fever that lasts for more than 4 days or rises above 38.8° Celsius (102°
Fahrenheit)
• has a severe cough or trouble breathing
• has an area of rash that leaks pus (thick, discolored fluid) or becomes red,
warm, swollen, or particularly sore
• has a severe headache
• is lethargic (sluggish/drowsy) or has trouble waking up
• has trouble looking at bright lights
• has difficulty walking
• seems confused
• seems very ill or is vomiting
• has a stiff neck

Measles (Rubeola)
The measles (rubeols) virus is a highly contagious respiratory infection. It
causes flu-like symptoms, including a cough, runny nose and fever, as well as a
body skin rash. Since measles is caused by a virus, there is no specific medical
treatment and the virus has to run its course. But a child who is sick should be
sure to receive plenty of fluids and rest, and be kept from spreading the
infection to others.
The first signs of the infection are usually similar to those of a flu type cold
(hacking cough, runny nose, high fever, and red eyes. However, this is soon
followed by a rash of small red spots with blue-white centers that appear inside
the mouth, and then a full-body rash.

The typical measles rash has a red or reddish brown blotchy appearance, and
normally first appears on the forehead, then spreading downward over the face,
neck, and body, then down to the arms, hands, legs and feet.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads when someone comes in direct contact
with infected droplets, i.e. when someone with measles sneezes or coughs they
spread the virus in droplets through the air. A person with measles is
contagious from 1 to 2 days before the first symptoms starts until approximately
4 days after the rash appears.
The most important thing you can do to protect kids from measles is to have them
vaccinated, and so it's recommended to have a chat to your doctor to find out
more.

As measles is a virus there is no special medical treatment. The symptoms
normally last for about 2 weeks, so during this time make sure that you child is
fully hydrated and has plenty of extra rest. It's very important to ask the
doctor or pharmacist for information on pain relief or fever, as certain drugs
should not be given in the case of measles.
Monitor you child closely in this time and for the next few weeks as sometimes
complications can occur like otitis media, croup, diarrhoea, pneumonia, and
encephalitis (a serious brain infection).

Call the doctor immediately if you suspect that your child has measles. Also,
it's important to get medical care following measles exposure, especially if
your child:
• is an infant
• is taking medicines that suppress the immune system
• has tuberculosis, cancer, or a disease that affects the immune system

Mumps
Mumps is an illness that's caused by a viral infection that generally spreads
through saliva and can infect many parts of the body, in particular the parotid
salivary glands. These glands, which generate saliva for the mouth, are situated
toward the back of each cheek, in the part between the ear and the jaw. When you
have mumps, these glands usually swell up and become tender and sore. Generally
the most common age for mumps to occur is between 5 and 14 years old, and rarely
happens in children younger than 1 year old.

Mumps generally starts with a fever of up to 39.4° Celsius (103° Fahrenheit),
and often accompanied by a headache and loss of appetite. The most obvious
symptom of mumps is the pain and swelling of the parotid glands, giving the
infected person a 'hamster like' look. Over a period of 1 to 3 days the swelling
of the glands usually become increasingly worse and painful, and becomes worse
when the child swallows, talks, chews, or drinks acidic juices (like orange
juice). Mumps would normally affect one side of the face first, spreading to the
other side with a few days.

In extraordinary cases, mumps could attack other groups of salivary glands
instead of the parotids. If this occurs, swelling may possibly be noticed under
the tongue, under the jaw, and/or all the way down to the front of the chest.

Mumps can lead to inflammation and swelling of the brain and other organs,
although this is not common. Rare complications of mumps include encephalitis,
which is the inflammation of the brain, and meningitis, which is the
inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of any
complications would normal appear during the first week after the parotid glands
begin to swell and could include: high fever, stiff neck, headache, nausea and
vomiting, drowsiness, convulsions, and other signs of brain involvement.

The development of orchitis (an inflammation of the testicles) is another rare
complication in the infection of mumps in adolescent and adult males. In these
cases generally one testicle becomes swollen and painful about 7 to 10 days
after the parotids glands swell. This can be accompanied by a high fever,
shaking chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, and sharp abdominal pain. After 3 to
7 days, the testicular pain and swelling will normally subside, this is
generally the same time as the fever stops. In some cases, both testicles are
involved. Even with involvement of both testicles, sterility is still a rare
complication of orchitis.

In other rare cases mumps could also affect the pancreas or, in females, the
ovaries, causing pain and tenderness in parts of the abdomen.

The mumps virus is contagious and can be passed to others through sneezing,
coughing, or even laughing, as it spreads in tiny drops of fluid from the mouth
and nose of the infected person. The virus can also spread to other people
through direct contact, such as using drinking glasses that have been used by
the infected person.

The virus is contagious from 2 days before symptoms begin to 6 days after they
end. The virus can also spread from people who are infected but have no
symptoms.

The most successful way of preventing the mumps virus is by vaccination, which
is normally given in the form of the MMR vaccine. Please speak to your doctor
about more information on this vaccine.

Whooping cough (pertussis)
The bacterium called Bordetella pertussis is the cause of the infection of the
respiratory system called whooping cough or pertussis. The symptoms of whooping
cough include a sever cough, and at the end of a coughing spell, the child may
make a characteristic whooping sound when breathing in or may even vomit,
although not all children have this reaction to the cough. Between spells, the
child usually feels well. Having said this, sometimes infants don't cough or
whoop as older kids do. Young infants may look as if they're gasping for air
with a reddened face and may actually stop breathing for a few seconds during
particularly bad spells.

Whooping cough mainly affects infants younger than 6 months old, before they're
sufficiently protected by immunizations and kids between 11 and 18 years old
whose immunity has weakened.

The initial symptoms of whooping cough are comparable to those of a common cold:

runny nose
sneezing
mild cough
low-grade fever

Whooping cough is highly contagious, as the bacteria spreads from person to
person through tiny drops of fluid from an infected person's nose or mouth. This
bacterium becomes airborne when the person sneezes, coughs, or even laughs.
Alternatively the infection can be caught by inhaling the drops or getting the
drops on the hand and then touching the mouth or nose.
Infected people are at their most contagious during the earliest stages of the
illness and up to approximately 2 weeks after the cough begins, although
antibiotics can shorten this period of contagiousness to 5 days following the
start of antibiotic treatment, it is best to air on the side of caution, and
keep the child away from other people for the full 2 weeks.

The most successful way of preventing whooping cough (pertussis) is by
vaccination. Please speak to your doctor about more information on this vaccine.

The incubation period (the time between infection and the onset of symptoms) for
whooping cough (pertussis) is generally 7 to 10 days, but can be as long as 21
days.

Colic
If your normally healthy baby cries on average more than 3 hours per day, for
more than 3 days per week and for at least 3 weeks, it's generally put down to a
condition called colic. Colic is a common and quite normal condition that will
eventually go away on its own. It's an upsetting condition for mother and baby
as the continued crying can easily get you down.

All newborns cry, need attention and show a degree of fussiness about when, how
long and how they like to be cuddled, but when a child who is otherwise healthy
cries like this, you can but wonder why.

It's likely that up to 40% of all infants have some degree of colic. It usually
starts between the 3rd and 6th week after birth and ends by the time the baby is
3 months old. If the baby is still crying excessively after that, other health
issues could be to blame.

Here are some key facts about colic:
• Babies with colic have a normal sucking reflex and a good appetite, and are
otherwise healthy and growing well. If your baby isn't feeding well and/or
doesn't have a strong sucking reflex you should consult your doctor.
• Babies with colic like to be handled and cuddled. If your baby seems
uncomfortable or distressed when cuddled and/or is difficult to console you
should consult your doctor.
• Babies with colic may bring up bits of milk from time to time, but if your
baby is actually vomiting and/or losing weight, you should consult your doctor.
• Babies with colic usually have normal stools, and so if your baby has
diarrhoea
or blood in the stool you should consult your doctor.

Medical professionals don't have the exact answer about what causes colic, but
will give you suggestions and helpful tips that could help to relive the
severity of the condition or even solve the problem altogether. Milk intolerance
is normally one of the causes that's suggested, and it's worth looking into if
the baby is bottle fed. In the case of breast fed babies, it may be recommended
that the mother changes her diet but cutting different things out one by one
(e.g. caffeine or dairy products) and then re-introducing them to see if there
is any affect on the babies colic.

In general babies with colic will also have wind, but it's not clear if the wind
causes colic or if babies develop wind as a result of swallowing too much air
whilst crying.

Other speculations imply that colic occurs when food moves too quickly through a
baby's digestive system or is not completely digested. Additional theories are
that colic is due to a baby's personality, that some babies just take a little
bit longer to get adjusted to the world, or that some have undiagnosed gastro
issues. It's also been found that infants of mothers who smoke are more likely
to have colic.

There is no single treatment that has been proven to make colic go away, but
there are ways to make life easier for both you and your colicky baby.

If your baby has stopped feeding and is not hungry, don't try to continue
feeding, instead, try to console your little one. It's a natural concern for
parents that they don't want to spoil it with too much affection, but you'll not
be doing any harm by cuddling your baby and giving them the attention that they
need to develop at this time. You can also try some of the following:

• Walk around holding your baby in various positions.
• Hold your baby whilst rocking in a rocking chair, again trying various
positions.
• Try burping your baby more often during feedings, trying the over the shoulder
and the sitting up positions.
• Place your baby across your lap on his/her belly and rub your baby's back.
• Put your baby in a vibrating or swinging seat.
• Take your baby for a ride in their car seat in the car. Car motion has an
amazing calming effect.
• Some babies respond positively to sound and music, so play some different
types of music until you find one that works, or put the TV on in the same room.
• Sometimes the sound of a washing machine, tumble dryer or vacuum cleaner can
provide the baby with the soothing sounds that will calm them down.
• Some babies aren't ready for the freedom and brightness of the outside world
and bundling them up in a light cotton sheet or towel and putting them in a
darker room (re-creating some of the conditions of the womb) may work wonders.

Your baby will eventually grow out of this condition, but in the mean time,
caring for a constantly crying baby can be extremely frustrating. It should be
remembered that your moods and feelings project to the baby, and so you too need
to take steps to relax and take care of yourself. Remember that colic is
nobody's fault, so try not to blame yourself. It's not a failure to take a
friend up on a little time off. Consider letting them take you baby on a short
walk or similar, giving you an opportunity for a relaxing bath or even a massage
or facial, (your baby will benefit from it too). It's OK to put the baby down in
the crib to take a break before making another attempt comfort him/her. If, at
any time, you feel like you might hurt yourself or the baby, you should put the
baby down in the crib and call someone for help immediately.

You should contact your doctor if:
If the baby has a temperature of 38° Celsius (100.4° Fahrenheit)
If your baby is crying for more than 2 hours at a time, and is inconsolable
If your baby isn't feeding well
If your baby has diarrhea
If your baby has persistent vomiting
If you're unsure whether your baby's crying is colic or a symptom of another
illness.
If your baby is less awake or alert than usual you should call the doctor
straight away for advice.

Croup
Croup is a common respiratory condition in young children which generally occurs
in the autumn and winter time. Croup is caused by a swelling and narrowing in
the voice box, windpipe, and the breathing tubes that lead to the lungs. This
condition is distinctive by the harsh 'barking seal' type cough, hoarse voice
and possible difficulty in breathe.

The onset of croup is normally first noticed a few days after the start of a
cold and is usually caused by the same 'common cold' viruses. Croup is a
contagious condition and the germs spread from one person to another through
coughing, sneezing and general close contact. Regular hand-washing and limiting
contact with others can help prevent spreading croup to others.

With age, children's lungs and windpipes mature, and they are less likely to get
croup.

The symptoms of croup are often better in the daytime then at night, and
sometimes children have croup attacks that wake them up in the middle of the
night. Although a little scary, croup is rarely serious, and children usually
improve within 2 to 5 days with rest and care at home.

As a precaution, and to check if enough oxygen is reaching the blood, your
doctor may place a small clip called a pulse oximeter on your child's finger,
toe, or earlobe. This is because when croup makes breathing harder, oxygen finds
it more difficult to get into the blood and this can cause related
complications.

Even though your child's coughing and troubled breathing can be frightening,
home treatment usually eases the symptoms.

During a croup attack any crying and/or panic can make the swelling in the
windpipe worse and therefore even harder to breathe, so try to stay composed to
project an air of calm and tranquility on the situation. This will, in turn,
calm the breathing pattern of the affected child.

Using a humidifier directly onto the child's face during a croup attack can
help, because breathing in moist air can relieve the symptoms. Alternatively,
fill your bathroom with steam from hot water, and sit in the bathroom with your
child for 10 minutes. Even the cool night air seems to help, so you could dress
him/her up warm and go outside for 10 minutes.

After an attack it's a good idea to put a humidifier next to the child to keep a
moist air flow near by. If the attacks reoccur during the night, you may
consider sleeping close to your child to be on hand immediately. Do not smoke,
especially in the house.

If the symptoms of the croup attack do not improve after 30 minutes, call or see
your doctor. If the attack is in the middle of the night and you are very
worried, consider taking your child to casualty. Or call the 'doctor on call'.
If your child has severe difficulties in breathing you should call for an
ambulance immediately.

It is important to keep your child well hydrated with water, flavored ice treats
(ice pops), or crushed ice drinks several times each hour.

If your child has severe croup or is not responding to normal home treatment,
return to your doctor for further advice. It's not advised to give normal over
the counter cough medicines for croup, so check with your pharmacist or doctor
before administering any medicines, especially for under 2's.

Jaundice in newborns (Hyperbilirubinemia)
Bilirubin is a bodily substance that is made when the body breaks down old red
blood cells, and, when there is too much bilirubin in the baby's body, they get
a condition called jaundice. During pregnancy, a mother's body gets rid of
bilirubin from the baby through her placenta. After birth, the baby's body must
get rid of the bilirubin on its own through urine and stool.

The symptoms of jaundice are generally easily visible as the condition makes the
baby's skin and the white part of the eyes look yellow. The yellowing normally
first shows in the baby's face and chest,
and the baby may have an unusually
high-pitched cry, and /or they also may be sluggish and cranky.

Jaundice is not usually a problem and, even in perfectly healthy babies, a
degree of jaundice almost always appears by 2 to 4 days of age. It usually gets
better or goes away on its own within a week or two without causing problems. In
breast-fed babies, mild jaundice sometimes lasts until 10 to 14 days after
birth. In some breast-fed babies, jaundice disappears and then returns. It's
possible that jaundice could last throughout breast-feeding, but this isn't
usually a problem as long as the baby gets enough milk by being fed at regular
times.

In very rare cases, too much bilirubin in the blood can cause damage to the
brain, leading to hearing loss, mental retardation, or behaviour problems.

Your doctor will probably ask you to keep checking your baby at home to make
sure the jaundice is clearing up. Your baby will need a follow-up examination
within the first 5 days after birth. It's important to call your doctor for
immediate advice if the yellow color gets brighter after your baby is 3 days
old. Sometimes babies with jaundice are put under a type of fluorescent light,
because when the skin absorbs the light it helps the baby's body to process the
bilirubin so that the body can more easily expel it in the stool and urine. The
treatment is usually done in a hospital, however sometimes this can take place
at home.